On the 875th day of the war, we learn that Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from the village of Krînkî in the Herson region, which they had captured last October. The withdrawal took place a few weeks ago.
The Russians have attacked in 11 sectors of the front in the last 24 hours. The most intense fighting was reported in the Pokrovsk and Kurahove sectors.
Across the border, over a million residents in southern Russia were left without power after an emergency shutdown of a reactor at the Rostov nuclear power plant. Rosenergoatom stated that the shutdown was caused by a „false alarm.”
Today, a new prisoner exchange took place between Russia and Ukraine, mediated by the United Arab Emirates. Each side released 95 soldiers.
And Kyiv receives bad news from Berlin: Germany will halve its military aid to Ukraine next year, even in the event of a possible return of Trump to the White House, who threatened that the US could halt military aid to Kyiv under his leadership.
In contrast, the European Parliament has reaffirmed its position that the EU must continue to support Ukraine as long as necessary until victory over Russia. The AUR delegation positioned itself against the resolution adopted by the European Parliament.
Meanwhile, the head of the EU Council, Charles Michel, sent a response letter to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who embarked on a „peace mission” on his own, including discussions with the leaders of Russia and China, as well as Donald Trump. Michel specified that Orban had no mandate from the EU for discussions on the war in Ukraine.
In the meantime, China and Russia have started naval exercises in the South China Sea, involving live ammunition firing, reconnaissance and early warning, search and rescue, and air defense.
– Source: [Read more](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/eveniment/ziua-874-explozii-in-mariupol-rusii-au-bombardat-o-piata-din-herson-rachete-langa-palatul-lui-putin-orban-stie-ce-va-face-trump-daca-va-castiga-alegerile)
### Situation on the Front
– **Ukrainians withdraw in Herson** – Ukrainian forces withdrew from the village of Krînkî in the Herson region a few weeks ago, according to military sources cited by [Ukrainska Pravda](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/07/16/7466024/). Ukrainians had captured Krînkî last October, and since then, the Russians have launched attacks almost daily, trying to reoccupy the town, according to Ukrainian General Staff bulletins.
– **Russians bomb a village** – Russian troops bombed the village of Borova in the Izium district, Kharkiv region, overnight. The attack occurred at 4:40 local time and destroyed three houses, a cafe, and a car wash, announced Oleh Syniehubov, head of the regional military administration, in the morning. No details were provided about potential casualties.
– **Intense fighting in Pokrovsk and Kurahove** – Russians attacked in 11 sectors of the front in the last 24 hours. The most intense fighting was reported in the Pokrovsk and Kurahove sectors, where 24 and 23 attacks took place, respectively. In total, 112 battles occurred along the front line during the mentioned timeframe, according to data released Wednesday by the [Ukrainian General Staff](https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid02o7wuqQ11WqLU4T9xJQMwdGjGTq9vGHYSJTfDxGZEJrc2TmV48xd6gpiQn6936QDkl).
### What’s Happening in Russia
– **Major power outage** – Several regions in southern Russia and Crimea experienced massive power outages, [RFE/RL](https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-crimea-nuclear-blackouts/33039466.html) reports. The Russian nuclear energy operator Rosenergoatom later announced that the blackout occurred after an emergency shutdown on Tuesday of a unit at the Rostov nuclear power plant due to a „false alarm.” Several major cities were affected – Krasnodar, Rostov-on-Don, Taganrog, Elista, Anapa, Armavir, Gelendzhik, Novorossiysk, and Stavropol. Approximately one million people were left without power simultaneously, according to Novaya Gazeta.
### Other Relevant Information
– **Berlin cuts military aid for Ukraine in half** – Germany will halve its military aid to Ukraine next year, even in the event of a possible return of Trump to the White House, who threatened that the US could halt military aid to Kyiv in the war against Russia, [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/orban-eu-leaders-trump-ready-act-immediately-russia-ukraine-peace-broker-2024-07-16/) reports. According to next year’s budget proposal, Germany’s military aid to Ukraine will be reduced to 4 billion euros, down from 8 billion euros this year. Germany estimates that Ukraine will be able to finance its military needs with aid from the EU and the US, as well as the $50 billion credit offered by G7 states and guaranteed by revenues from frozen Russian assets in the West due to sanctions imposed on Russia. Washington has insisted on the rapid disbursement of this credit, an idea agreed upon by European allies, to ensure that Ukraine does not risk running out of funds next year if Trump is re-elected.
– **Prisoner exchange** – Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange on Wednesday, announced the Russian Ministry of Defense and Volodymyr Zelensky, according to Reuters. „As a result of negotiation processes, 95 Russian soldiers whose lives were in danger were returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime. 95 soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were handed over in exchange,” stated the Russian Ministry of Defense on Telegram, adding that the returned soldiers would be transported to Moscow for medical examinations and physical and psychological rehabilitation. This prisoner exchange was the third of its kind in the last seven weeks.
– **AUR opposes EP resolution** – The AUR delegation in the European Parliament opposed the resolution on EU support for Ukraine adopted on Wednesday by the EP. Instead of calling for peace, the resolution calls for the involvement of all EU and NATO states in the war in Ukraine, explained MEP Claudiu Târziu in a statement provided by the AUR delegation. The European Parliament reaffirmed on Wednesday its view that the European Union must continue to support Ukraine as long as necessary until victory over Russia. Details [here](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/politica/sosoaca-a-vorbit-pentru-prima-oara-in-parlamentul-european-ati-distrus-romania-romanii-sunt-saraciti-ajutand-ucrainenii-non-stop-de-ce-s-a-dus-la-ambasada-rusiei).
– **Charles Michel rebukes Orban** – EU Council President Charles Michel criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who independently launched a „peace mission” that included discussions with the leaders of Russia and China, as well as Donald Trump. In a letter addressed to EU leaders, Orban wrote that Trump is ready to act immediately as a peace negotiator to end the war in Ukraine if re-elected in November. Charles Michel responded to Orban in a letter, stating that he had no mandate from the EU for discussions on the war. „The rotating presidency of the Council has no role in representing the Union on the international stage and has not received any mandate from the European Council to engage on behalf of the Union,” he wrote to Orban, according to [Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/orban-eu-leaders-trump-ready-act-immediately-russia-ukraine-peace-broker-2024-07-16/). Former Belgian Foreign Minister Charles Michel also rejected Orban’s claim that the EU followed a pro-war policy in Ukraine. „It’s exactly the opposite,” Michel mentioned.
– **Moscow and Beijing fire live ammunition** – China and Russia have begun naval exercises in the South China Sea. Both countries will deploy at least three ships each for the three-day exercises, which involve live ammunition firing, reconnaissance and early warning, search and rescue, and air defense.
– **American general: We are not helping Ukraine win** – The White House should focus on doing everything it can to ensure Russia’s defeat and Ukraine’s victory, says General Ben Hodges, former commander of the US Army in Europe from 2014 to 2017. The general argues that those who fear a potential „escalation” of the war with Russia if Putin were challenged by the West are completely mistaken. Details [here](https://spotmedia.ro/stiri/eveniment/general-american-nu-ajutam-ucraina-sa-castige-video).
– **Tens of thousands missing** – Ukraine has included 42,000 missing persons in a unique register of individuals who have disappeared under special circumstances, announced the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs on Wednesday, as cited by Ukrinform. The register collects data on people who have disappeared due to fighting, Russian occupation, or natural or man-made disasters. The reported number does not represent the full humanitarian impact of the Russian invasion, which has led to deportations, kidnappings, and a high number of deaths among Ukrainian military and civilians, as noted by [Kyiv Independent](https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-lists-42-000-missing-persons/). The latest data indicates a significant increase compared to the situation in April, when nearly 37,000 Ukrainians were reported missing. According to Kyiv, another 3,000 people are listed as prisoners of war, and 7,000 have been identified as deceased, many of them being military personnel. Additionally, over 19,500 Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia, Belarus, and territories occupied by Moscow.